Fast rctating well drill



F. l.. sco'rT ET AL 858249 FAST ROTATING WELL DRILL Filed MaIOh 9, 1931 May 17, 1932.

A TT ORNE Y m, u .piaf www #E LEB Patented May 17, 1932 UNITED srA'rEs PATENT OFFICE FLOYD L. SCOTT AND LEWIS E. GARFIELD, OF HOUSTON, TEXAS, ASSIGNORS TO HUGHES TOOL COMPANY, OF HOUSTON, TEXAS, A OORPORATIIIION OF TEXAS l EAST BOTATING WELL DRILL A under light pressure.

Another object is to provide a tubular drill pipe connected with the drill for rotation, and a separate drive-shaft adapted to rotate the drill independently of the drill stem.

We aim to connect the sections of the drill stem and ot the drive-shaft together at the joints by means easily coupled together and uncoupled when the drill stem is being introduced into or withdrawn from the hole.

The invention also includes means whereby the drill may be rotated directly by the drill stem irrthe usual manner, 'the drive-shaft re maining inoperative. y

The invention also includes various points of novel construction residing in the details iincludes tubular sections of drill pipe 1,

which are generally similar to ordinary drill stem. The upper section may be connected to a head 2 of larger diamater to which may be connected a bail 3 by means of which the same .may be 'connected with the traveling block and cable ordinarily employed to suspend the drilling string in the derriolr. Above the head 2, the diameter of the pipe is reduced and a swedged nipple 4 connects the stem with a member 5 connected to a fluid inlet pipe 6 similar to the usual goose-neck through which flushing fluid may be pumped to the well.

The sections of drill stem are connected together by special tool joints including a pin member 7 and a box member 8. A The in member 7 has a threaded seat 9 into whic maybe engaged a spider 10 supporting a bearing bushing 11 for the drive-stem 12 which will be later described. The box-member 8 has a similar bearing support 13 screwed-within l a seat 111 in the join f The lower end of the drill pipe 1 is connected at 15 to the drill collar 16, the lower portion of which is formed with comparatively thick walls, the interior being beveled downwardly and inwardly at 17 to provide a seat for a packing ring 18. i

A mandrel 19 lits within the lower end of the drill stem. The lower position ot this mandrel is reduced in diameter to extend through the lower end 16 of the drill collar, and is threaded at 20 to engage the head of the drill bit 21. The upper end of the mandrel has a squared recess 22 formed therein to receive the driving spindle 23 on the lower end of the driveshaft 12. A ring or cap 25, is fitted over the upper end of the mandrel within the drill pipe, thus `leaving a small chamber 26 below the head 27 on the drive stem from which the flushing fluid may pass to the three ducts 28 leading downwardly to an axial channel- 29 in the mandrel and the drill. A passage 3() in the head 27 of the drive stem conducts liquid 4to the chamber 26.

In the sides of the mandrel within the drill pipe are formed a plurality of recesses 31 to receive the clutch rollers 32. Said recesses are deep enough at one end to entirely receive the rollers, but the recesses taper toward one side to allow the roller to move into driving contact with the drill pipe. Thus, the pipe may drive the mandrel and the drill when the drill stem is moved in a clockwise direction, as seen in Fi 5, but the relative rotation of the mandrel 1n that direction will not affect the drill pipe.

The drive-stem 1s a heavy shaft adapted to be rotated in the drill pipe by some source of power applied at the upper end 33 thereof which projects through the upper end of the and Chamber 5, with which a basa aan` *fthan that of the pipe. A

.. 4. In a well drilling apparatus, a drill ptipe,

tightvfit. We have shown an electric motor 34 on' said shaft, said' motor being held sta-:i

tionary by means of an anchor rod 35 connected therewith. Said drive-shaft is made lin sections of the same length as the drill pipe sections including the tool ljoints. Each section of drive-stemhas a fiange 36 thereon 4- adjacent the upper end to rest upon one of 19 fthe 'bearings 11 in the'tool joint., Above the support the shaft has a squared end 37 to engage within a recess in oneend of a coupling 38.1:Said coupling is long enough to receive the squared lower end of the next upper adjacent section of stem. Each coupling has a plurality of radial arms 39 which, if the coupling is dropped downwardly will engage the tapered portion 40 of the tool joint, and thus be prevented from further downward movement.

In the operation of the device, the drill .stem may be rotated by the usual type of rotary table now in common use and not shown for purposes of clearness. This rotation of the drill stem in the usual right hand directionV will, rotate' the .drill ibit, as described.

vYVhen the bit istofbe rotated at a rapid rate,

l y the drive-stem is operated to rotate the drill,

and it will be s een'that this may be done independentlyof the-drill pipe. That is, the

drill pipe may rotate slowly, as is sometimes y necessary to prevent sticking of thepipe, and

at the same time the drivestem may be rotated at a comparatively high speed to secure a .rapid cutting action of the drill bit when a light load is rested on the drill.V It is to be noted that a small longitudinal movement of drel 19 for a distance shown by the space lll in Fig. 2.

lVhat we claim as new is: 1. ln a well drilling apparatus, a drill pipe,

a drill bit at the lower end thereof, a connection between said drill pipe and said bit allowing relative rotation in one direction,

a drive-shaftaxially of said pipe connected with said bit, and means at the upper end of fsa-id pipe operatively connected with said 1 shaft to rotate said bit independently of said drillpipe.`

2. In a well drilling apparatus, a drill pipe, a drill bit at the lower end thereof, a oneway connection of said drill pipe to said drill bit, a drive-shaft detachably connected with said drill bit, and means at the upper end of :said drill pipe to rotate said shaft and said fbit independently of said pipe.

3. In a welldrilling apparatus, a drill pipe, a drillbit thereon, an axial drive-shaft in 4said pipe connected with the upper' end of -said bit, said shaft projecting from the upper end of said pipe, and means connected with said shaft above said pipe to rotate said shaft a' drill bit thereon, an axial drive-sha said pipe connected with the upper end of said bit, said shaft projecting from the upper end of said pipe, and means connected with said shaft above said pipe to rotate said shaft and said bit at a. speed of rotation greater than that of the pipe, and means connecting said bit to said drill pi e forV rotation of said bit when said drill pipe; is ,rotated in one direction only.

5. A drill pipe, a bit thereon, a drive-shaft axially of said pipe, bearings in said pipe for said shaft, a motor at the upper end of said shaft, said shaft being detachably connected with said bit whereby said bit may be rotated independently of said pipe.

6. A sectional drill pipe', a drill bit at the lower end thereof, a sectional drive-shaft j ournalled axially of said drill pipe, joints in said shaft adjacent the ends of said drill pipe sections, means to support'the sections of said shaft, and a driving connection between said shaft and said drill bit.

7. In a well drilling apparatus, a sectional.-

on, a sectional drive-shaft j ournalled axially of said drill pipe, supports for the drive-shaft sections in the drill pipe sections, slidable couplings for saidshaft in said pipe sections, adapted to be telescopically connected, anddriving connections between said drive-shaft and said bit and between said drill pipe and said bit.

In testimony whereof, we hereunto 'affix our signatures, this the 27th day of February,

f FLOYD L. soor'r. L. E. GARFIELD. 

